The Indiana Department of Workforce Development projects that the number of medical and health services managers in the state will increase by 17.4 percent in the ten-year period leading up to 2028. In fact, the number of management jobs in Indiana’s health services sector is growing faster than management jobs in any other sector.
This high growth rate in the number of management jobs in the healthcare sector has contributed to Indiana having the 13th-highest number of medical and health services managers in the nation (US Department of Labor, 2020). An attractive average annual salary of $103,470 (2020) is yet another contributing factor.
Yet a third reason healthcare management and administration careers are so popular in Indiana is that they are supported by state and federal investments. After the passage of the Affordable Care Act, Indiana’s governor opted to expand Medicaid coverage to all residents who qualified. As of 2020 the United Health Foundation reports 91.3% of Indiana residents have health insurance.
Healthcare Administration Degrees in Indiana
Indiana is home to over a dozen colleges and universities that offer relevant degree programs for new and experienced professionals aspiring to advance in the field of healthcare administration and management.
Undergraduate Degrees in Healthcare Administration and Management
While a degree in general business can be advantageous, completing an education in a more specific major can better prepare students for careers in this field:
- Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Healthcare Administration
- Bachelor of Health Administration (BHA)
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Healthcare Management
These programs consist of around 120 semester credits. These credits are divided equally between general undergraduate courses and upper-division courses. An associate’s degree can fulfill up to two years of general courses depending on a school’s credit transfer policy.
Bachelor’s programs in healthcare administration generally cover such topics as:
- Principles of marketing, business, and management
- Strategic planning and healthcare management
- Healthcare human resource management
- Healthcare economics
- Legal issues in the healthcare business environment
- Organizations and information systems
In addition to online options, relevant degree programs are available in:
- Richmond
- Muncie
- Fort Wayne
- Gary
- Marion
- Huntington
- Kokomo
- Evansville
Graduate Degrees in Healthcare Administration and Management
Today a graduate degree in the healthcare administration and management field is a generally accepted industry standard. Completing a graduate degree program is often a preferred qualification, if not a requirement, to progress to higher-level positions.
Some of the relevant degree programs in this field include:
- Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA)
- Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Healthcare Management or Administration
- MSN/MBA or MHA/MBA dual degree programs
- Master of Science in Healthcare Administration (MSHA)
Graduate Program Admission Criteria
While admission criteria will differ from school to school, some commonly shared elements include:
- Completion of a bachelor’s degree – graduate schools in this field often accept students who have a bachelor’s degree in any subject
- Completion of specific course prerequisites with a minimum GPA
- Personal essay
- Letters of recommendation
- Several years of professional work experience
- Some programs require current employment in the healthcare industry
A graduate program in healthcare administration and management takes between 18-24 months to complete, totaling between 36-60 semester credits. Many programs may also require a thesis or capstone research project as a final project before graduation.
Students will learn advanced concepts that pertain to important topics such as:
- Strategy for management of large healthcare organizations
- Global economics for healthcare managers
- Medical informatics
- Compliance for accreditation
- Quality performance statistics and improvement
- Health economics
- Healthcare policy and law
- Quantitative methods for healthcare organizations
- Service line development
In addition to online opportunities designed for working professionals, students can find graduate programs located in:
- West Lafayette
- Indianapolis
- Marion
- Evansville
- Anderson
Working in Healthcare Administration
After completing a degree program, professional graduates will be ready to start searching for career opportunities throughout the state. The following job descriptions were drawn from vacancy announcements across Indiana (October, 2015). These are provided as illustrative examples for those who want to gain a sense of what Indiana’s job market looks like:
Good Samaritan Hospital in Vincennes
- Director of Outpatient Operations – Responsible for providing overall leadership to the department, especially in regards to business operations; preferred candidates hold an MHA, MBS, MSW, or other related graduate degree
- Financial Analyst – Using financial data and statistics, this professional informs managers of projected needs and deficits; applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in business, accounting, finance, or another related field
- Physician Practice Operations Manager – Works with physicians to ensure goals are met and standards upheld; applicants must have a relevant bachelor’s degree in a field such as healthcare management
Riverview Health in Noblesville
- Director of Operations – Responsible for the management of daily operational and financial aspects of the clinic; applicants must have at least a bachelor’s degree in health administration, business, or finance, with a preference given to candidates who hold an MHA or MBA
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago in Dyer
- Executive Director RIC Franciscan Alliance Administration – Responsible for overseeing and directing the rehabilitation nursing staff, management staff, and allied health staff; applicants must have an MHA, MBA, or Master of Management (MM), or other related degree
Community Heart and Vascular Hospital in Indianapolis
- Executive Director – Leads the implementation of daily operations, working with department directors, product line leadership, and other department representatives; highly preferred candidates have an MHA, MBA, MD, MSN, or other related degree
Local Resources for Healthcare Administrators and Managers
Those looking for career resources in Indiana will find a number of outlets that provide information about employment and professional opportunities.
Largest Employers of Healthcare Administrators and Managers
- IU Health University Hospital in Indianapolis
- Saint Vincent Hospital and Health Center in Indianapolis
- Saint Mary’s Medical Center in Evansville
- Elkhart General Hospital
- Columbus Regional Hospital
- Adams Memorial Hospital in Decatur
- VA Northern Indiana Health Care System – Fort Wayne and Marion
- Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis
- VA Outpatient Clinic in Bloomington
- Physicians Health Plan of Northern Indiana
Professional Resources
- Indiana Medical Group Management Association
- Indiana Society for Healthcare Risk Management
- Indiana Pressler Memorial Chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association
- Indiana Association for Healthcare Quality
- Indiana Health Information Management Association
- Indiana Primary Health Care Association
- Health Management Associates
- Health Care Administrators Association
- American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management
2020 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Medical and Health Services Managers.
Job growth projections sourced from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development and published in the U.S. Department of Labor-funded Long Term Occupational Projections (2018-2028) database – https://projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm.
Salary figures and job market projections represent state data, not school-specific information.
Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed August 2021.